In laparoscopic surgery, the surgeon performs the operation through small holes using long instruments and observing the internal anatomy with an endoscope camera. The endoscope is conventionally held by a camera assistant since the surgeon must perform the operation using both hands.
The surgeon performance is largely dependent on the camera position relative to the instruments and on a stable image shown at the monitor.
The main problem is the difficulty for the assistant to hold the endoscope steadily, keeping the scene upright
To overcome these problems, several new technologies have been developed, also using robotics to hold the endoscope while the surgeon performs the procedure. Most known of them are Lapman™, EndoAssist™, and Aesop™.
But these technologies are expensive, difficulty installed, uncomfortable to use, limiting the dexterity of the surgeon and having physical dimension much bigger that all operating tools.
Relatively to the required action, they also move in big bounds with several arms movement. The patents of these products are presented in FIGS. 23a, 23b, and 23c. 